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Trust & Ethics

Guidance and resources on key issues, including economic crime, business law, better regulation and ethics. Read through ICAEW’s Code of Ethics and supporting information.

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Key resources

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ICAEW's Ethics CPD course is designed to help you apply the Code of Ethics to everyday situations and uphold the highest standards of professional conduct.
Insights from CFOs on ethics
Accounting
From 1 January 2020

ICAEW Code of Ethics

Access the Code which is based on IESBA’s Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants and supporting materials.
Read the code
Business law

Better Regulation

Drawing on our experience and insights from ICAEW members, our better regulation work contains information on the UK’s regulatory regime and considers how it might be improved.
Find out more
Regulations

Guidance on NOCLAR

The ICAEW Code of Ethics has sections entitled ‘Non-Compliance with Laws and Regulations’, commonly known as NOCLAR. This guidance summarises what a member’s key responsibilities are under these new requirements.
Read guidance
Online training

Ethics CPD course

ICAEW has created a free online ethics course to support members in meeting their changing continuing professional development (CPD) requirements
Find out more
Support

Recentring ethics

Ethics must not fade into the background. For Global Ethics Day on 18 October, ICAEW emphasises the importance of ethics for leadership and culture within the profession.
Find out more
Technical support

Ethics helpsheets

Helpsheets prepared by ICAEW's Ethics Advisory Service to assist you in your day-to-day work. We offer practical advice, respond to frequently asked questions and highlight the issues you may need to consider.
Browse helpsheets

Ethics

Horizon: lessons for software procurement
  • Article
  • 09 Feb 2024
As the issues with the Post Office’s Horizon software make headlines, we look at how buyers must work with vendors during the software procurement process.
Horizon scandal: seven lessons for boards
  • Article
  • 08 Feb 2024
As details continue to emerge about the Post Office’s management of the Horizon project, ICAEW Director, Corporate Governance and Stewardship, Peter van Veen picks out some key learning points.
FRC updates the Ethical Standard for Auditors
  • Article
  • 30 Jan 2024
Regulator says new requirements are proportionate to support confidence in UK corporate reporting and audit, to support UK growth and competitiveness.
Why fighting corruption is key to good governance
  • Article
  • 07 Dec 2023
International Anti-Corruption Day falls on 9 December; this year’s events seek to highlight how anti-corruption efforts contribute to peace, security and development.
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ICAEW Code of Ethics

ICAEW's Code of Ethics applies to all members, students, affiliates, employees of member firms and, where applicable, member firms, in all of their professional and business activities, whether remunerated or voluntary.

ICAEW Code of Ethics
  • Regulations
Access the Code which is based on IESBA’s Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants and supporting materials.
Code of Ethics 2020 Additional information
  • Regulations
Summaries of the Code's key requirements, more information on some of the key changes, and source and destination material.
ICAEW Code of Ethics summary
  • Regulations
  • PDF (37kb)
A summary of the fundamental principles of the Code of Ethics.
More support

Videos on ethics

The latest ethics related videos, webinars and podcasts from ICAEW. Find expert insight into ethical decision making, speaking up and ethical standards, which will support your professional development.

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The latest ethics related videos, webinars and podcasts from ICAEW. Find expert insight into ethical decision making, speaking up and ethical standards, which will support your professional development.

Business law

ICAEW's Business Law function leads ICAEW’s policy work on the UK’s regulatory regime and aspects of regulation including selected areas of company law and provides related resources to members including our briefing on the UK’s regulatory regime and our guide to directors’ duties.

Better Regulation
Drawing on our experience and insights from ICAEW members, our better regulation work contains information on the UK’s regulatory regime and considers how it might be improved.
Pen, notepad and phone
UK company law
Resources include relevant ICAEW technical releases, such as guidance on dividends and distributable profits, and updates on key developments in regulation, prospective legislation and related matters of professional concern to accountants in practice, industry or commerce.
Directors duties
Our guide provides an overview of the key duties and responsibilities of directors, including: internal governance, transactions between a company and its directors and transactions between a company and its shareholders (covering dividend payments and corporate administration). It also covers responsibilities in relation to insolvent or financially challenged companies, as well as penalties for breach of directors' responsibilities.
More information

Economic crime

New laws to bolster smart device security
  • Article
  • 07 May 2024
Ban on default passwords part of legislation to help protect consumers from having their internet-enabled devices interfered with by hackers or cybercriminals.
New Companies House fees bring jump in costs for services
  • Article
  • 03 May 2024
From 1 May, the fees for Companies House services have increased, with the cost of incorporating a company via software increasing five-fold.
Mitigo Cybersecurity
  • Company profile
  • 30 Apr 2024
Mitigo is a cyber security company offering a complete cyber security service to keep your company, your data, and your staff completely safe from cyber attacks.
Community boosts joint effort on fraud prevention
  • Article
  • 29 Apr 2024
Fraud Advisory Panel initiative facilitates cross-sector collaboration – helping organisations with risk mitigation and highlighting career opportunities in the counter fraud field.
More

Anti-money laundering

AML - the essentials. Issue 31, April 2024
  • Newsletter
  • 29 Apr 2024
So far in 2024, there have been a number of regulatory and legislative changes, which we share in this edition. We also encourage you to respond to the open consultations and government surveys to ensure that future changes to the anti-money laundering regulatory framework are workable for the accountancy sector.
Exclusive Regulatory update March 2024
  • Article
  • 25 Apr 2024
The following is a list of some regulatory publications or announcements from March 2024 affecting UK financial services.
Charity banking obstacles reach crisis point
  • Article
  • 22 Apr 2024
Difficulty opening accounts, accounts being frozen or closed without warning, inadequate customer service, high charges and lengthy delays in implementing new mandates among list of complaints.
Professional Standards Update April 2024 This month, we share more information about upcoming PII changes and invite you to ask your questions during a webinar on 21 May. We also highlight common mistakes firms make regarding Clients’ Money requirements, share a summary of recent disciplinary cases and signpost resources and updates according to your regulatory role.
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Bribery and corruption

The auditor who fought Kenyan corruption
  • Article
  • 17 Apr 2024
This year’s ICAEW Achievement Award winner, Edward ‘Eddie’ Ouko, faced huge resistance in his role as Auditor-General of Kenya. Despite the threats, he stood his ground.
Public/private sector collaboration key to fighting corruption
  • Article
  • 12 Apr 2024
Closer working ties between businesses and enforcement agencies will boost the battle against corruption, expert speakers at a recent IFAC event agree.
Profession under microscope in major corruption study
  • Article
  • 27 Feb 2024
Universities and expert body unite to ramp up data on actions that enable corruption – with the influence of accountants high on the project’s list.
The UK’s corruption conundrum
  • Article
  • 08 Feb 2024
As the UK drops to its lowest-ever position in the global Corruption Perceptions Index, ICAEW’s Economic Crime Manager, Mike Miller, asks if this reinforces the view that the UK is a facilitator of economic crime.
More

Fraud

Community boosts joint effort on fraud prevention
  • Article
  • 29 Apr 2024
Fraud Advisory Panel initiative facilitates cross-sector collaboration – helping organisations with risk mitigation and highlighting career opportunities in the counter fraud field.
How business should approach fraud risk
  • Article
  • 02 Apr 2024
Fraud volumes and values are rising annually. But new rules and governance regulations hope to help prevent business fraud before it happens and detect it when it does.
Articles on fraud and coronavirus
  • Listing
  • 19 Mar 2024
Read features and articles covering attempted fraud of the different government support schemes that were introduced to mitigate the impact of coronavirus on the economy and firms.
UK fraud makes massive leap to £2.3bn
  • Article
  • 28 Feb 2024
Reported cases of fraud are rising and the amounts involved are getting larger – but still fewer than one in seven fraud offences are reported to the police.
More

Modern slavery

How accountants can help refugees and combat modern slavery
  • Article
  • 06 Jan 2023
ICAEW member Sarah Crowhurst volunteers helping refugees in Greece, providing support to those forced into prostitution. She explains why, and how accountants can help.
What makes a good modern slavery statement?
  • Article
  • 11 Jul 2022
Modern slavery is still all too common in the UK, with 10,613 potential victims identified in 2020. The modern slavery statement is designed to improve transparency and vigilance within businesses and their supply chains.
How do we improve modern slavery reporting?
  • Article
  • 27 Jun 2022
Around one in 10 British companies do not provide a modern slavery statement. Why aren’t organisations taking the problem seriously?
Modern slavery: nothing to do with me?
  • Article
  • 14 Jun 2022
The combination of existing skills and new tools means that ICAEW members can play a pivotal role in the fight against modern slavery, say Dipak Vashi and Hope Sherwin.
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Whistleblowing

Government to review outdated whistleblowing laws
  • Article
  • 12 Apr 2023
Charities and politicians have called on the government to strengthen UK whistleblowing laws.
Whistleblowing: speak up in the public interest
  • Article
  • 22 Jun 2021
World Whistleblowers’ Day on 23 June is a chance to reflect on the bravery of individuals who chose to do what’s right and expose wrongdoing. The day is particularly poignant for whistleblowers who have chosen to stay anonymous because they can never be thanked in person.
How directors support effective whistleblowing
  • 29 Apr 2020
This know-how guide shares practical guidance for directors on the importance of whistleblowing during the continually evolving COVID-19 crisis.
Coronavirus: How can directors support effective whistleblowing in the current crisis?
  • Helpsheets and support
  • 29 Apr 2020
Practical guidance for directors on the importance of whistleblowing during the continually evolving COVID-19 crisis.
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Meet the team

Learn more about the work of ICAEW's Trust & Ethics team and the expert groups who support us, including the Ethics Standards Committee, Business Law Committee and Insolvency Committee.

Find out more
Aligning with Global Ethics Day on 18 October, ICAEW is exploring the vital importance of ethics to the accountancy and finance profession. Hear from CFOs and ethics experts on the key issues.

Further resources

icaew communities
Corporate Governance Community
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Forensic & Expert Witness Community
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Restructuring & Insolvency Community
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Solicitors Community
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library resources
Business law and regulation
Company law
  • Listing
Partnership law
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Law
related topics
Audit reform and trust in business
  • Hub page
Corporate governance
  • Hub page
Gender pay gap reporting: the regulations
  • Helpsheets and support
Professional conduct in relation to taxation (PCRT)
  • Helpsheets and support